Vice-President says secularism ingrained in every Indian

Hyderabad, Feb 23 (PTI):Vice-President MVenkaiahNaidu onSunday said secularism is in the blood and veins of every

Indian and minorities are more secure in India than in any other country even as he asked some countries to refrain from

advising India on its internal affairs. 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (whole world is like one family)

has been the essence of Indian culture, Naidu said, while speaking after inaugurating the platinum jubilee celebrations

of Andhra Vidyabhi Vardhani (AVV) Educational Institutions in Warangal.

"Respecting all religions and 'Sarva Dharma Sambhav' is our culture we should continue to follow," an official release

here quoted him as saying. Appreciating the country's rich spiritual heritage,

Naidu said (chanting) Bharat Mata Ki Jai means the Jai of 130 crore Indians.

Objecting to some countries tendency to comment on Indias internal matters, the Vice-President asked them to

refrain from it. With India being the largest parliamentary democracy, he

said it can manage its own affairs. Stressing that peace was a prerequisite for development,

Naidu said that in a democracy, everyone has a right to dissent and protest but it should be done in a peaceful

manner. He asked the youth to develop a positive attitude in life

and be constructive in their approach. He urged the union and state governments to mandatorily

link employment upto a level with the local languages to promote the use of mother tongue in the country.

He called for promoting the use of Indian languages in the administration, saying,This will not only bring the

administration closer to the people but also help in preservation of our rich linguistic heritage.

Quoting Sardar Patel, Naidu said unless a child understands the language of instruction properly, he would not be able to

understand the subject being taught in that language. Advocating value-based education, Naidu said it should

focus on overall development of the students by imparting morals, ethics and age-old civilisational values of the

country. Seeking a change in mindset of society, he said children

should be taught to be respectful towards girls and women from an early age.

Highlighting that Indian culture shows great respect for women, the Vice-President said it was evident from the fact

that all rivers in the country had been named afterwomen. Expressing concern over the fast-depleting water resources,

he said lakes and traditional water bodies should be maintained.

Also, he appreciated the work being done by the Telangana government for developing irrigation in the state.

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